By Barbara Kessler
Green Right Now

Most commodities come with a clear price attached to a distinct amount. A bag of potatoes, a can of beans, a jar of peanut butter….the cost of these is stamped on a sign at the grocery and an individual label breaks down the nutritional details.

Zerofootprint's Talking Plug

Electricity is sold with a price tag also, a price per kilowatt. Every month, customers pay a provider based on how many kilowatts their household has used. But there’s no label breakdown.

We don’t know how much electricity was expended to power the HVAC or dishwasher or fridge or computer. It’s a mystery what caused that spike in our bill. Our worst power phantoms are hiding.

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Green Right Now Reports

Where there’s a need, there’s a way. Turns out that the biggest proportion of ENERGY STAR homes are being built in steamy Sunbelt locations where keeping the AC under control is an urgent need.

The top market, with the most ENERGY STAR-qualified homes built since the program begin in 1995, is Houston, with 144,000 homes.

The next top cities with the most homes built to these guidelines include Dallas, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Los Angeles

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A field monitor checks a gas meter for leaks. (Photo: Department of Energy)

From Green Right Now Reports

Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell announced today that the first installment of $123 million in federal Recovery funds for weatherization will begin to be released Nov. 2, part of $253 million that the state will use for this purpose.

The Governor said the funding represents an unprecedented level of investment that will help to create new, “green” jobs, save money for struggling families, and stimulate local economic activity as weatherization agencies buy required material, vehicles and equipment.

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Green Right Now Reports

October, like many months, is stocked with special campaigns. As almost everyone knows, it is Breast Awareness and Diabetes Awareness Month (interesting duality there as we load up kids with Halloween sweets).

Lesser known commemorations: “Eat Country Ham Month” and “Vegetarian Month” — which weren’t well coordinated, eh?

Who knew that October also hosts National Weatherization Day, which is October 30. So as we prepare our haunted mansions, we might also consider those scary power bills to come after Hallows Eve.

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By Bill Sullivan
Green Right Now

The next time you take a stack of old newspapers to the recycling bin, you might be helping make your home a more comfortable — and efficient — place.

Cellulose Insulation. (Photo: National Association of Certified Home Inspectors)

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By Bill Sullivan
Green Right Now

If you’ve ever thought about going solar to take a bite out of your utility bills, you may want to take another look: A perfect storm of events, policies and programs currently makes solar more affordable than ever.
The problem: He who hesitates may miss the best deals.
“People say, ‘It’s too [...]

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By Tom Kessler
Green Right Now

When it comes to clogged drains, it’s been a struggle to find an effective alternative to the many harsh chemicals that most people rely on to break up trapped debris. But a Houston company has developed a product that is brilliant in its simplicity and has the added benefit of being as green as you can get where brownish goop is involved.

The PermaFLOW Self Cleaning Drain by PF WaterWorks has already won the Best of What’s New Award from Popular Science. It replaces an existing P-trap — that curved section of pipe just below your sink — with an improved version that has been engineered to eliminate the need for secondary maintenance products and procedures such as plunging, caustic drain cleaners and messy drain disassembly.

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From Green Right Now Reports

Rheem Water Heating says its new heat pump water heater achieves an industry-leading Energy Factor of 2.0, or more than twice the energy efficiency of a standard electric storage water heater. The company says the energy-saving design of the integrated air-source HP-50 will help a family reduce its carbon footprint by nearly two tons annually.

Intended for new or replacement residential applications, the unit has a storage capacity of 50 gallons and meets the qualifications for an ENERGY STAR listing. It measures 21 inches in diameter and 75.5 inches tall, making it easier to install in spaces with restricted access such as attics and basement mechanical rooms.

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From Green Right Now Reports:

In the frenzy over the “Cash for Clunkers” program that rewards drivers with up to $4,500 for ditching their old gas-guzzlers in favor of a new fuel-efficient model, many consumers appear to missing a similar though smaller deal on their homes.

ConstructionDeal.com, a Sherman Oaks, Calif.-based web site that helps homeowners find contractors for home improvement projects, did a survey that found nearly 40 percent of respondents were not planning on taking advantage of the $1,500 federal tax credit for energy efficient home improvements. The survey of about 5,000 project owners — primarily homeowners — also found that 25 percent were completely unaware of the tax credit.

Still, 10 percent of those surveyed said they had already taken advantage of energy efficient home improvements. And ENERGY STAR, a joint program of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy that helps consumers save money and protect the environment traffic, says traffic to its tax credit web page is skyrocketing.

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By Melissa Segrest
Green Right Now
They’ve been around for hundreds of years, but when you think of a metal roof, energy efficiency and attractive, colorful design may not be the first thing that comes to mind.
Forget about the tin roof on Grandpa’s farmhouse. In recent decades, the industry has evolved to the point that metal roofs [...]

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By Harriet Blake
Green Right Now

One or two of the seven dwarfs would enjoy these houses, but certainly not all of them, and forget about Snow White. In Peter Pan, the lost boys made such a house for Wendy. And when Alice landed in Wonderland, she too experienced the tiny house phenomenon.

So, now in 2009, what’s the appeal of a home that ranges 100 to 800 square feet? Is there a market for them? Are people really downsizing to this level?

The economy may be one factor, but most folks who are attracted to these miniature homes are seeking a simpler, scaled down lifestyle –one that is kinder to the environment. Such a home uses less energy and takes advantage of renewable resources.

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By Barbara Kessler
Green Right Now

Feeling guilty about your bottled water? Or worried that it is not as pure as the pastoral scene on the label implies? Your worries are justified. Bottled water is unregulated in the US, and often as not, it is just filtered tap water – with a heavier carbon footprint thanks to the requisite plastic container and the shipping.

Luckily, just as you’re re-evaluating this resource-intensive habit, so is everyone else, from the cities that have passed bottled water taxes to the bottled water companies themselves to entrepreneurs trying to figure a better way.

Culligan, the big kahuna of bottled water service companies now makes a cooler that hooks up to your tap – an apparent concession that the days of carting around those big blue bottles may be numbered.

But one of the most unique solutions to filling your cup without filling the landfill may be generating your own purified water. You can do that by tapping into the humidity in the air with an Atmospheric Water Generator, which pulls water from “thin air” (as long as that air registers at least 35 percent humidity).

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